Bureau hunts for tech-minded staff

The opportunities brought about by information technology (IT) are being embraced by the Education Bureau, which is widening learning resources and adding depth to the curriculum taught at government schools.

"While an increasingly important area of study in its own right, technology is having a major impact across our eight key learning areas," says Sin Tak-wah, chief curriculum development officer (technology education) at the Education Bureau.

To help incorporate technology into the school curriculum, Sin says the Education Bureau is seeking to recruit a curriculum officer to enhance technology teaching skills and broaden learning opportunities. The person appointed to the non-civil-service position will need to find ways to integrate technology into various subjects, including languages, mathematics, social sciences, formal sciences, humanities, arts and physical education.

Responsibilities also include the provision of training for teachers to help them make better use of technology to manage secondary-level subjects in the classroom. Other tasks, such as drafting syllabi and designing assessment materials, will also be required.

"Our aim is to continue integrating IT in the school curriculum," says Sin, noting that the initiative is very different to the integration of communication technology, a separate area.

Because of ready access to the internet, Sin says school curriculum topics are no longer confined to the classroom. "Through the internet, students can explore topics and issues related to the things they learn in the classroom. We want to ensure that teachers have the support and materials available related to the topics their students are covering," he says.

To address this need, the Education Bureau has already set up a one-stop portal where teachers can obtain a comprehensive range of support materials for a variety of subjects.

Candidates interested in the position of curriculum officer should hold a Hong Kong bachelor's degree in engineering, design or technology, as well as a certificate in education from a Hong Kong tertiary-education institution or equivalent. In addition, candidates should have at least six years' relevant post-qualification experience in teaching or curriculum development. They should also hold level-two Use of Chinese (UC) and Use of English Common Recruitment Examination certificates.

To ensure implementation strategies stay in line with best-practice global trends, the Education Bureau will provide the chosen candidate with access to relevant local and overseas training and conferences.

The bureau is also hiring a part-time staffer to conduct assessment work involving the Chief Executive's Award for Teaching Excellence (CEATE). Each year CEATE has a new theme, with the focus for 2012-13 being technology education. Those with at least 10 years' post-degree teaching, quality-assurance or curriculum-development experience are encouraged to apply.